Konrad (9-0 MMA, 7-0 BFC) will walk away from MMA with an unblemished record, including a win in Bellator’s first heavyweight tournament, which took place in the promotion’s third season.

Confirming Wednesday’s report, Bellator said in a release that Konrad will enter his family’s longtime business and become an agriculture commodities trader specializing in dairy products.

“This decision has been on my mind for a while, and the time was finally right to make the move,” Konrad stated.

Konrad, born and raised in Wisconsin, won a high school state championship in wrestling in 2002. He took his mat skills to the University of Minnesota, where he was a Division I national champ in 2006 and 2007, a four-time All-America selection and a three-time Big Ten Conference champ.

His skills quickly translated in the MMA world, and he signed with Bellator after scoring two quick stoppage wins just a month apart at the start of 2010.

He went 2-0 with Bellator with unanimous decision wins in May and June 2010, then entered the Season 3 heavyweight tournament. After decision wins over Rogent Lloret and Damian Grabowski in the opening round and semifinals, he stopped Neil Grove with a first-round keylock submission win at Bellator 32 to win the $100,000 rise and the promotion’s first heavyweight title.

In less than 10 months in 2010, the first year of his pro career, Konrad went 7-0.

But after winning the heavyweight tourney, he wouldn’t fight again until Bellator 48 10 months later, when he outpointed Paul Buentello in a non-title fight. After another lengthy layoff, he stopped Eric Prindle this past May in just one minute with a kimura to defend his title for the first – and now final – time.

Konrad said MMA seemed like the right fit for him when his college career wrapped up, but second thoughts led to his decision.

“I wrestled my whole life, and it was one of the only things I ever knew,” Konrad stated. “When my college career was over, MMA seemed like the natural progression, but it was never really my passion. I thoroughly enjoyed my time inside the Bellator cage, but having the consistency and stability of going to the office every day is something that just made sense to me.”

The heavyweight, who did much of his training at the Team Death Clutch camp in Minnesota started by former UFC champ Brock Lesnar, said he owes a debt of gratitude to Bellator.

“I can’t say enough good things about my time with Bellator,” Konrad stated. “I enjoyed every second of my time in the cage, and having a boss like Bjorn (Rebney) was a pleasure. Bellator does things the right way, and if I ever find myself back in the cage, there is no doubt in my mind it will be with Bellator.”

Rebney praised Konrad and said the opening up of the heavyweight belt means he and matchmaker Sam Caplan will come up with a plan to fill the title. The promotion’s Season 7 heavyweight tournament begins on Oct. 5 at Bellator 75 in Hammond, Ind.

“There are very few fighters in MMA who can completely control a fight like Cole Konrad could,” Rebney stated. “Cole’s a very smart and gifted individual who will continue achieving excellence in everything he does. I wish Cole, his wife and family the very, very best as he moves into this new stage of his life. Cole was a great Bellator champion, and now Sam and I will determine exactly how and when the new Bellator heavyweight champion will be crowned.”

For more on Bellator’s upcoming schedule, stay tuned to the MMA Rumors section of the site.

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